Empoli 0–1 Arezzo | Serie B | 11 September 2026

Result Summary

A dramatic and hard-fought Serie B encounter at Empoli's ground ended in a surprise victory for the visitors. Arezzo claimed all three points thanks to a 74th-minute own goal from Simone Romagnoli, who had only entered the pitch at the start of the second half. The result was shaped significantly by a pivotal moment just before the interval, making this a contest of two very different halves.

Match Analysis

The opening exchanges were relatively competitive, though early signs suggested Empoli would face a testing afternoon. Edoardo Biondini picked up a yellow card in the 18th minute for a foul, and the hosts were then forced into an early substitution in the 25th minute when Karim Zedadka came on to replace Matteo Egan.

The defining moment of the match arrived just before half-time. Marco Curto was dismissed following a VAR review in the 43rd minute, with the red card confirmed for a foul — leaving Empoli to face the entire second half with ten men. It was a catastrophic blow to Guido Pagliuca's side and fundamentally altered the dynamics of the contest.

The statistics tell the story of Arezzo's dominance clearly. Christian Bucchi's side enjoyed 56% ball possession, registered 15 total shots compared to Empoli's 10, and generated 69 attacks against just 39 from the hosts — with 31 dangerous attacks to Empoli's 19. Their key passes tally of 11 versus 6 further illustrates how thoroughly they controlled the second-half territory against the reduced home side.

Arezzo made bold use of their substitutions to press the numerical advantage. Emiliano Pattarello, Alberto Cerri, and Leonardo Mancuso were all introduced after the break, injecting fresh energy into the visitors' attacking play. The pressure eventually told in the 74th minute, when Simone Romagnoli turned the ball into his own net, sealing what proved to be the decisive goal. Despite Empoli throwing on Bogdan Popov, Filippo Bandinelli, and Luca Belardinelli in search of an equaliser, they could not muster a meaningful response, managing only 2 shots on target across the entire match. Matteo Gilli collected a late yellow card for Arezzo in the 89th minute, but by then the result was beyond doubt.

Prediction Review

Our pre-match forecast called for a 1–1 draw, assigning a 48% probability to a home win, 28% to a draw, and 24% to an Arezzo victory. With a confidence level of just 56/100, uncertainty was already baked into the analysis — and rightly so given the unpredictable nature of early-season Serie B fixtures. However, the prediction proved incorrect. The red card for Curto before half-time was a pivotal, low-probability event that shifted the match entirely. Without that dismissal, a draw or even a home win would have remained plausible outcomes given the relatively competitive start to proceedings.

Key Takeaways

• Marco Curto's red card was the decisive turning point — Empoli's ten-man effort was admirable but ultimately insufficient.
• Arezzo were clinical in execution, converting their territorial dominance into three crucial points despite only matching Empoli on shots on target (2–2).
• Simone Romagnoli's own goal — an unfortunate end to what was already a difficult evening for Empoli as a collective.
• Coach Christian Bucchi's tactical adjustments at half-time paid dividends, while Guido Pagliuca will need to regroup quickly following a damaging home defeat.